Feral to tame cat stories?

[ILoveDaffy]

Congratulations on the new family members ♡♡ How did the move go and the adjustment for kitty and co? Did you keep any kittens? ♡♡♡

I do a lot of kitty rescue, fostering, trapping (TNR), etc. I currently have 7 fuzzy children. All of them found as houseless kittens w/ exception of 1 trapped older feral disaster.... Girlfriend
View attachment 4042459Who escaped and became our fuzzy child by default, and who is now quite charming, but with a side of weird ♡.
View attachment 4042462And I currently, 11 foster kitties.

I was really happy to see your post and that you took in momma and gave her a safe home. Kitties are wonderful. I hope you have some more stories for us, maybe inspire others to take on a feral themselves. Kitties love to have a home base and people who care about them. Don't let that independent and aloof creature tell you otherwise ♡. There is no love like that of a kitty. They are little furry angels that share themselves with us. We are blessed to have them.

The move went well, I found homes for two and kept 3, Biscuit, Cooper, and Puddin'. We are now down to two kittens (Cooper and Puddin') and momma Lola. Unfortunately, my favorite and most adventurous kitten, Biscuit, was hit by a car about a week ago and didn't make it. Devastating for us all, and I loved her so much and miss her all the time, but I am comforted knowing she was definitely better off after the move here. In the neighborhood the cat colony was in, cats were constantly being hit by cars as it was by an extremely busy road and highway. In fact, not long before the move, the suspected father of the kittens was hit. Biscuit lived longer and had a happy life, with food, cuddles, and care, which is more that can be said for most feral kittens. She really was living her best life up until the end.

Your kitties are so beautiful! It is so great that you help so many of them and they get a safe and loving home with you!

 

[TropicalBabies]

The move went well, I found homes for two and kept 3, Biscuit, Cooper, and Puddin'. We are now down to two kittens (Cooper and Puddin') and momma Lola. Unfortunately, my favorite and most adventurous kitten, Biscuit, was hit by a car about a week ago and didn't make it. Devastating for us all, and I loved her so much and miss her all the time, but I am comforted knowing she was definitely better off after the move here. In the neighborhood the cat colony was in, cats were constantly being hit by cars as it was by an extremely busy road and highway. In fact, not long before the move, the suspected father of the kittens was hit. Biscuit lived longer and had a happy life, with food, cuddles, and care, which is more that can be said for most feral kittens. She really was living her best life up until the end.

Your kitties are so beautiful! It is so great that you help so many of them and they get a safe and loving home with you!

First, I am so sorry for your loss. I know it must hurt you tremendously.
I think that a beautiful life and home full of warmth, food and love for her short time here is better than a long life of fear and starvation, IMO. Your loss is hard but you did the right thing and good by her.
The last photos are of silly Girlfriend.
Here is Giz, trapped from a remote area along with his siblings.

And Piko

Who was in the road about to be hit. She was so sick and hungry she could not move. I scooped her up and put her in my pocket and rode her home on my motorcycle, lol

I was not able to save her one eye, but I was able to keep her from a horrible life and am horrible death.
You keep up the good work ♡ extra hugs and cuddles for the ones you have near ♡♡♡

 

[paintedChix]

LOVE our feral, now mostly domesticated cats. Since late 90s, I've had feral cats that we've worked with. Ive worked w/ a couple different rescue/trapping groups. In 2013, I started working for spay neuter clinic. Then started working w/ many rescue groups, 5 different county ACs & owners who simply couldn't afford vet care for sick or injured cats they brought into clinic.

I've adopted many, some have remained partially feral. 1 has remained completely feral, though she did come into the house through the cat/small doggie door during a severe cold spell Dec23/Jan2024. She hasn't done that this year...

We've lost several cats - one (that we know of) got into rats poison. Another, we suspect similar (different house/property). Another - we'd had her for 3 yrs, she'd gone from being trapped in feral colony to being house cat to being in/out cat, to one day I saw her back end w/ tail in the air exit our drive way to shared private road & never saw her again... Think she was "mad" about another cat that showed up...

Rainbow approx 2 yrs old, heavily pregnant & sick when brought in by Feline Friends of Moore Cty in Feb 2015. Took her & sis - Batty home. Treated w/ antibiotics for 2 weeks while healing from spays. Wore HEAVY leather gloves & lined canvas coat to handle & treat them. When turned loose in a chicken pen on the property we bought, they both got out 2x4" wire sides & top). They lived under a shed for a while, then started coming under carport on top of the rabbit hutch to eat food. Batty succumbed to "something " around June? Rainbow still feral!





We have (had?) Banshee in 2017. She was adopted from an owner who trapped a momma cat w/ kittens. Sick when came in to be spayed. Spay not done & I took her to a regular vet for treatment. Umm... taking her in a crate, when transferred from a trap - not good idea. Took a while for those scratches to heal. She was maybe 9 weeks old & still nursing... She lived in a dog crate in our living room to become domesticated & get treated for her URI. Also put on & still on, a Lysine supplement. She is still a very "aloof" cat. Doesn't mind being stroked, gets upset when picked up/held. For some reason, she's disappeared - hasn't come in when called. Been 4 days...




The cat w/ her in 1st pic, NikNak, came to us not long after Banshee. Neighbor called, kitten picked up next to busy highway. Their dog trying to "eat" it. Would we take it? TINY & eyes not fully open yet. Took to work w/ me next day - vets said maybe 2.5-3 wks old. I fed several times a day - kitten milk replacer & kitten food in a tiny bowl. Used wet wash cloth to "stimulate the go"... she made it & @ 3 months, she had her spay... Kitten pics & older pics in files can't currently acess... We had her until 2020? She came in from outside mewling. I didn't think too much about it. She crawled into a soft carrier in our living room (I had taken several cats/dogs to pet Vax clinic @ feed store, hadn't put crates away yet). Checked on her, seemed sleeping. Later, made some strange sounds. When I checked, she'd passed. Not sure, suspect she got into something. We are on 21 acres. Neighbor behind us has 4. Next one one side has 6, other side 30... She's now in our private pet cemetary.



Sending this now... Will do another post later. With Banshee missing we have 7 cats...